are above all thy works; and I most confidently hope, that as in thy mercy thou hast spared me so long, and hast now given me this desire of returning to thee, so thou wilt finish the work which thou hast begun, and bring me to a perfect reconciliation with thee.

I desire now to comply with thy holy institution of the sacrament of penance; I desire to confess my sins with all sincerity to thee, and to thy minister; and therefore I desire to know myself, and to call myself to an account by a diligent examination of my conscience. But, O my God, how miserably shall I deceive myself, if thou assist me not in this great work by thy heavenly light! Oh, remove then every veil that hides any of my sins from me, that I may see them all in their true colours, and may sincerely detest them. Oh, let me not any longer be imposed upon by the enemy or by my own self-love, so as to mistake vice for virtue, to hide myself from myself, or in any way to flatter myself in my sins.

But, O my good God, what will it avail me to know my sins, if thou dost not also give me a hearty sorrow and

Give

repentance for them? without this my sins will be all upon me still, and I shall be still thine enemy and a child of hell. Thou insistest upon a change of heart, without which there can be no reconciliation with thee; and this change of heart none but thou canst give. Oh, give it me then, dear Lord, at this time. Give me a lively faith, and a firm hope, in the passion of my Redeemer; teach me to fear thee, and to love thee. me, for thy mercy's sake, a hearty sorrow for having offended so good a God. Teach me to detest my evil ways; to abhor all my past ingratitudes; to hate myself now with a perfect hatred for my many treasons against thee. Oh, give me a full and a firm resolution of a new life for the future, and unite me to thee with an eternal band of love, which nothing in life or death may ever break.

Grant me also the grace to make an entire and sincere confession of all my sins, and to accept of the confusion of it, as a penance justly due to my transgressions. Let not the enemy prevail upon me to pass over anything through fear or shame: rather let me die than

Let no

consent to so great an evil. self-love deceive me, as I fear it has done too often. Oh, grant that this confession at least may be good, and for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son, who died for me, and for all sinners, assist me in every part of my preparation for it, that I may go through it with the same care and diligence as I should be glad to do at the hour of my death; that so being perfectly reconciled to thee, I may never offend thee more.

O blessed Virgin, Mother of my Redeemer, mirror of innocence and sanctity, and refuge of penitent sinners, intercede for me through the passion of thy Son, that I may have the grace to make a good confession. All ye blessed angels and saints of God, pray for me, a poor miserable sinner, that I may now, for good and all, turn from my evil ways, that so henceforward my heart may be for ever united with yours in eternal love, and never more go astray from the Sovereign Good. Amen. This or the like prayer may be frequently repeated for some days before confession, in order to obtain of God the grace of making a good confession.

A METHOD OF

Examination of Conscience,

FOR SUCH AS CONFESS OFTEN,

ACCORDING TO THE THREEFOLD DUTY WE OWE: 1. TO GOD. 2. TO OUR NEIGHBOUR. 3. TO OURSELVES.

I. In relation to God.

1. Have you omitted morning or evening prayers, or neglected to make your daily examination of conscience? Have you prayed negligently, and with wilful distractions?

2. Have you spent your time, especially on Sundays and holydays, not in sluggishly lying in bed, or in any sort of idle entertainment, but in reading, praying, or any other pious exercises; and taken care that those under your charge have done the like, and not wanted the instructions necessary for their condition, nor time for prayer, or to prepare for the sacraments?

3. Have you spoken irreverently of God and holy things? Have you taken his name in vain, or told untruths?

4. Have you omitted your duty

through human respect, interest, compliance, &c.?

5. Have you been zealous for God's honour, for justice, virture, and truth, and reproved such as act otherwise?

6. Have you according to your means contributed towards the support of religion, and the maintenance of your pastor?

7. Have you resigned your will to God in troubles, necessities, sickness, &c. 8. Have you faithfully resisted thoughts of infidelity, distrust, presumption, impurity, &c.

II. In relation to your Neighbour.

1. Have you disobeyed your superi ors, murmured against their commands, or spoken of them contemptuously?

2. Have you been troubled, peevish, or impatient when told of your faults, and corrected by them?-Have you scorned their good advice, or censured their proceedings?

3. Have you offended any one by injurious or threatening words or actions? 4. Or lessened their reputation by any sort of detraction, or in any mat ter of importance?